Tracheal appliance



Dec. 20, 1949 T. coLAvlTA TRACHEAL APPLIANCE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed NOV.12, 1948 ZZ 4 INVENTOR;

T/zeafore @alam/'M7 @uw m WITNESSES T. COLAVITA Dec. 20, 1949 TRACHEALAPPLIANCE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 12, 1948 S m m I W Patented Dec.20, 1949 UNITED STATES@4 PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

tiorn These tubes are designed to fit into the trachea and extendoutwardly through the front portion of the neck. One great disadvantageof the simple tracheal tube or cannula, as generally used, is thatmucous discharges from the lungs 0r respiratory tract of the wearer maybe ejected through the tube and actually propelled considerabledistances and over a wide area, This occurs particularly in cases of asingle cough, and in` cases of a series of coughs or a coughing spellthe effect is correspondingly magnified. The wearer of the tube becomesapprehensive of unexpected coughs whenever he is out, and his friendsbecome naturally aware of the problems o t sneezes, coughs or even Sharpexhalations of the wearer. This strained social condition does not leadto an easy, rich and normal life which is so important to man. Too oftenwearers of the old types of' tracheal tubes have gradually withdrawnfrom their friends and become recluses.

Therefore the main object of this invention is the provision of atracheal appliance which will effectively control the mucous dischargefrom the respiratory tract through the tube and protect not only thoseothers who are present, but also the clothes of the wearer of the tube,house furnishings and the like.

Another object is to provide a tracheal appliance which will interceptand collect mucus discharged from` the respiratory tract through thecannula in a manner that will require no attention from the wearerexcept to periodically remove the collected matter.

Another object of this invention is the provision of such a trachealappliance which is simple in constructiom inexpensive to manufacture,and easy to clean.

Still other objects and advantages of this invention will appear fromthe following detailed description of the accompanying drawings whereinFig. l is a perspective View of a man wearing aV tracheal applianceconveniently embodying my invention.

Fig. ,2 shows the device infront elevationl Fig. 3 is a fragmentary viewin vertical section taken as indicated by the arrows III-III in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows the device in top plan with a pori Fig. 8 is a fragmentaryvertical sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows VIII-VIII inFig. 3, and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in sectionof a lower portion of one of the aforesaid component parts.

With more detailed reference to these illustrations, I0 designates thetracheal tube or cannula which, in accordance with my invention, issharply curved as at II in Fig. 3 adjacent its posterior end I2 for areason later disclosed. The appliance is held in place on the wearer asshown in Fig. 1 by a neck tape I3 attached to the opposite ends` of anarcuate stop plate I4! which is xedly secured to the tube I0.

For the purpose of intercepting and collecting mucous dischargesforcibly expelled from the respiratory tract incident to coughing, Ihave devised a trap or retainer which is comprehensively designated I5lin Figs 1-5, and which is pendently connected to the downwardly-directedposterior end I 2 of the tracheal tube l0 with capacity for readyremoval in a manner as also later explained. As shown, the retainer I5is made up of separable parts including an inner mucus intercepting orbaille element I6, a catch cup I1 and an outer or shield element I8which are separately illustrated in perspective in Figs. 6 and 7.

The inner or intercepting element I6 is fashioned from reticulatematerial, which may be of relatively ne wire mesh as conventionallyindicated, tubularized to a relatively large diameter and flattened toelongate elliptic cross section, with a neck piece I9 fixed axiallywithin the open top end thereof. As shown, the neck piece I9 is of smalldiameter to telescopically fit upwardly over the posterior end I2 of thetube I0 and provided at the top with an angular slot 20 for engaging,bayonet-lock fashion, a lateral stud 2| on said tube end. It is to beparticularly noted that the slot 20 and the stud 2| are so allocated asto cause the intercepting element I6 to take a position at right anglesto the plane of the l tube I 0 so that, when in place, it will extendcrosswise of the chest of the wearer. The mesh of the interceptingelement I6 is reinforced externally of its bottom end by a band 22(Figs. 3, 5 and 9.) that ts snugly into the catch cup I1 whereof thecross section is configured to correspond to that of said bailleelement. The band 22 acts as a spacer to prevent direct contact of themesh of the intercepting element I6 with the wall of the cup andpossible spill, from the latter, of the collected mucus.

The shield element I8 is fashioned from perforated sheet material whichis tubularized to a diameter greater than that of the baille element I6,and which is likewise ilattened to elliptic cross section so as tosurround said baille element and to partly overlap the cup I1 withallowance of a comparatively Wide perimetrlc clearance interval for freepassage of air for the wearer in breathing. Fixedly secured axiallywithin the open top end of the shield element I8 is a ring 23 which, inturn, is of small diameter to nt down over the neck of the interceptingelement I6. By cooperay tion of diametral notches 25 in the lower edgeof the ring 23 with diametral stud projections 267011- the collar I9,the shielding elementI-.iS-positioned so as to lle in the same planewiththe intercepting element I6 as shown in Figsili and 5.

The open bottom end of the shield element I8- Operation 1f Mucus carriedalong withA air expelled at Vhigh velocity incident tocoughingthroughthe cannula or tracheal tube VIll isspattered upon Ythe target surfaceat I II within the sharply rounded portion of said tube. By theattendant impact, the mucus is spread in a thin lm'on the inner surfacesof the tube end I 2. The mucus thus momentarily restrained imposes noappreciable resistance to the high pressure V.f'airjstream which isallowed to continue unabated pastthemuoous film through 'the neck I9,andits force is soon ndissipatedin passing through'the interstices .oftheintercepting element I6, the spacial interval between said elementand the shield element I8, and thevperforationsin the latter to theatmosphere.

If the cough is' a single one, the mucus clinging to the inner surfacesof the tube end I2 and neck I9 will, under, gravity influence andby-norm'al mi' exhalation of the individual, nd its way to the screensurface of the intercepting element I6 and be therebyheld. In successivecoughing, following masses of mucuswill slide down over the precedingmasses vand onto'the'still unoccupied areas of the screen surface andremain there. At times of severe coughing, the masses of mucus which donot chance to strike the target surface at thebend Il of the tubelll areforced pastit and down through the intercepting element I6 into the cupI"I. Thus, Vif the mucus issuing-from the tube Ill isin the form 'ofathinlm, its destination will be the surface of the intercepting elementI6, but if it is expelled'as a thick mass at the tube en'd I2 it willend yup in the cup I1. It will therefore be senthat the element |16 doesnot* .function as a filter. or sieve, but rather as a retainerand guide,and .in cases of waterymilcus it operates to channel thefiiuid into thecup. The shield element I8 serves as a guard to prevent contact of thewetted screening of the intercepting element with the shirt front andthe chest of ther wearer. When necessary through complete coverage ofthe bailie element'with the mucus, the retainerA I5 is bodily removedfrom thetra'cheal tube I0, disassembled, and'itsparts cleaned forreplacement. f V l f 71 do not, of course, consider myself limited tothe precise 'details Vof 'construction herein disclosed, since variousmodifications are possible within-'the scope ofthe appended claims. Forexample, if desired or foundI convenient, the cartridgemay' be shaped toconformwith the curvature of the wearers chest,`and the interceptingvelement may be more cheaply constructed of perforated cardboard or meshfabric, discarded after having once been used, and replaced by anentirely new one.

The device is an artificial larynx insofar as coughing, sneezing andother manner of ejecta from the lungs is concerned, devised to benetpersons who have had a laryngectomy, its main object being to divert thehigh pressure air of a coughfor sneeze into the atmosphere and at thesame time trap the mucus instantly, hygienically and automatically asalready pointed out hereinbefore.

.A Having thus described my invention, I claim:

`1."'Awtracheal appliance comprising a tube for connection to thetrachea, having a downwardly directedV posterior end; a mucous dischargeintercepting element dependently attached to the aforesaid end of thetube; and a catch cup at the bottom of said intercepting element.

`2. A tracheal appliance according to claim 1, wherein the posterior endof the tube is turned through a sharp bend as and for the purposedescribed.

3. A tracheal appliance according to claim 1, further including a shieldwhich extends, with intervening clearance, about the interceptingelement.

,4. `In a tracheal appliance, a tracheal tube with a downwardly directedposterior end; and a mucous discharge retainer detachably connectedpendently to said tube end, said retainer comprising a porous tubularmucuus intercepting element in' axial relation to the tube, a catch cupat the bottom of the intercepting element, and a perforated open endedshield element extending, with intervening clearance, about saidintercepting element.

5. A tracheal appliance according to claim 4, wherein the interceptingelement, the catch cup and the shield Yelement are all of flat elongatecross section and disposed at right angles to the axial plane of thetube.

6. A tracheal appliance according to claim 4,

wherein the intercepting element is provided at element.

y 7. A tracheal appliance according to claim 4, wherein the interceptingelement is provided at the top with a neck and bayonet lock means fortelescopic connection to the posterior end of the tracheal tube; andwherein the shield element has a ringat the top adapted to engage downover the neck ofthe rintercepting element.

8. A tracheal appliance according to claim 4, wherein the interceptingelement is provided at the top with aneck for telescopic connection overthe posterior end of the tracheal tube; wherein the neck has outwardlyprojecting diametral studs; and wherein the shield element is providedat the top with a ring adapted to engage downwardly over the neck of theintercepting element, said ring having diametral notches in its loweredge to engage the diametral studs on the neck of theinterceptingelement.

9.' A tracheal appliance according to claim 4, wherein-the interceptingelement is provided at the top with a neck for telescopic connection tothe posterior end of the tracheal tube; wherein the shield element has aring at the top adapted to engage down over the neck of the interceptingelement; wherein Ythe bottom end of the intercepting element extendsdown into the catch cup;

and further including means by which the catch cup is detachably securedto the bottom of the shield element to hold the parts assembled.

10. A tracheal appliance according to claim 4, wherein the interceptingelement is provided at the top with a neck for telescopic connection tothe posterior end of the tracheal tube; wherein the shield element has aring at the top adapted to engage down over the neck or" theintercepting element; wherein the bottom end of the intercepting elementextends down into the catch cup; wherein the catch cup is provided withlateral projections and wherein the lower portion of the shield elementis adapted to be sprung over the REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,065,920 Crawe July 1, 19132,039,142 Brehm Apr. 28, 1936

